<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Have a cup of beverage by ThePoeticMadman</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27176446">Have a cup of beverage</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThePoeticMadman/pseuds/ThePoeticMadman'>ThePoeticMadman</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>....M A R C H, M/M, it's a goddamn October, since March, so I'm clearing up my folders and this shit's been laying there since, so time to post this, wait</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 02:16:41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,973</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27176446</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThePoeticMadman/pseuds/ThePoeticMadman</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>He didn't know why von Aegir stayed.</p><p>He didn't know back then.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ferdinand von Aegir &amp; Hubert von Vestra, Ferdinand von Aegir/Hubert von Vestra</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>21</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Have a cup of beverage</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Schadenfreudah/gifts">voidstuff (Schadenfreudah)</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Disclaimer: I do not own characters in this fic. All material belongs to the respective creators.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He doesn’t know when it started. He always preferred to stay up at night – it was quiet, there were no people to disturb him. Perfect time to catch up on whatever work he needed to.</p><p>One evening (he doesn’t remember the exact date), he found a cup of black coffee on his table, as he was ready to settle down and read letters he received. He looked around, as if that would tell him who was the soul preparing this drink. Yet there was no one, so he sat down and started to read through the letters. The coffee did quite help him to concentrate, he had to admit.</p><p> </p><p>Another evening, another cup of coffee. He scratched the back of his neck – would this be the first time, he would have shrugged it off. Except it wasn’t. It’s been…</p><p>He pauses and stops thinking. He didn’t even count how many times it’s been already. So, he sits down, and once again, dives to his work.</p><p> </p><p>When the morning comes, he’s slouched on the table, thin blanket over his head. He yawns and sits up. The blanket slides to his shoulders, and he glances at it. <em>Well, that’s something new.</em></p><p>He looks back to the table. It’s just how he left it when he fell asleep – papers all over the desk, the goose quill he wrote with, and a cup of freshly brewed coffee-</p><p>
  <em>Wait a minute.</em>
</p><p>He brings the cup to his face, steam warming up his cheeks. That’s a fresh coffee right there, alright.</p><p>“Oh, you’re awake!”</p><p>He looks to the source of the voice. He sees a man standing next to a window, but the sunlight shines too strongly – he can’t see the face. The hair is long and almost golden in the rays of light…</p><p>Oh.</p><p>“Are you hungry? I woke up early, so I made breakfast,” the figure moves away from the window, the hair losing the gold like hue.</p><p>He rubs his eyes. “I’ll eat in a moment. I’ll just reread this letter…”</p><p>The other man grabs his hand firmly yet gently. “That can wait. You should eat first.”</p><p>The blanket falls to the floor. He bends from the chair to pick it up. The hand doesn’t leave his. “Did you…?”</p><p>“Oh? Ah, yes. I was about to ask why are you up so late but then I saw you were already sleeping. I didn’t want to wake you up, so…”</p><p>“You needn’t to worry about me,” he says as he picks up the blanket.</p><p>“Of course, I worry,” the other counter attacks, “how am I <em>not </em>supposed to worry when I see light in your room at such unholy hours?”</p><p>“I’m most prepared for work at that time.”</p><p>“Right. Is that why you buried your face into my hair the other morning?”</p><p>He doesn’t answer that. As he puts the blanket over the chair, he notices the absence on his hand. As he foes by Ferdinand, he bumps into his shoulder: “The breakfast, Hubert.”</p><p>“Right. Of course.” He returns the bump. “Will you join me? I’ll prepare the tea.”</p><p>“The leaves are on the shelf.”</p><p>He chuckles. “I’ll take that as a yes then.”</p><p> </p><p>The evening was getting cold, and Hubert fastened his steps. There was still one letter he needed to read, and-</p><p>Why does he hear hits on the iron at this hour?</p><p>He went to the courtyard, looking around for the source of such violent sounds. This rattle was something he’d expect at war, not during peace…</p><p>He spots a long, tied orange hair first. The man’s back greets him, face not visible. He stops few steps from him.</p><p>“Ferdinand.”</p><p>The man looked up from his work and turned his head to the side. “Hubert.” He turned his head down again, not even looking at him.</p><p>“What do I own the visit for?”</p><p>“You’re repairing an armour, and yet, there’s no war at the moment.”</p><p>“Caspar visited earlier today and asked me to repair this,” he waved his hand towards the armour. “You never know when something might happen,” he said quietly afterwards.</p><p>Few minutes passed in silence of words and ruckus of hits on the iron. When Ferdinand paused to wipe the sweat from his forehead, he almost dropped tools as a voice, much closer than before, asked: “Has your hair been always this long?”</p><p>Hubert stood beside him, no longer holding letters.</p><p>“Don’t scare me like that,” Ferdinand laughed and started adjusting the hair. A red tie intertwined in his fingers. Hubert eyed that tie with bigger interest than ever before.</p><p>“I didn’t take you for someone to notice such things,” the man laughed, swaying the hair in the air.</p><p>“And I didn’t take you for someone who’s let his hair grow out like that,” a hand ran through his hair, and Ferdinand froze in movement. Highly unusual for Hubert to initiate such pleasantries.</p><p>“Have you thought of cutting it?” the question bites to his skull.</p><p>He stays quiet for a while. “When you’re busy surviving the war, you don’t think about such a trivial detail.”</p><p>“Is that a distaste in your voice?”</p><p>That makes him laugh.</p><p>“Sharp as ever,” he chuckles, then frees his hair from the hand. “But if you must know, then yes, you noticed right. Because if you take me for such a type of a person, then you wound me. I never thought about it. Not like that.”</p><p> “I see…” were the only words he heard. “I’ll leave you to your work then.”</p><p>“Hmm. Good luck with letters.”</p><p>“How did you know?”</p><p>“Please. You’re always reading something.”</p><p>No answer as he returned to repairing the metal. <em>He probably left, to read the message.</em></p><p>When he returns to the house in the evening, he finds a cup of tea on a tray, with few sweets too. He smiles when they fit with the tea just right – <em>someone</em> made sure to carefully choose these.</p><p> </p><p>Days passed and he found more and more cups of tea, conveniently appearing just when he thought of it. And then, one day…</p><p>“What a rare sight. I didn’t know you were a morning person, Hubert.”</p><p>“You know first-hand I’m not.”</p><p>“I <em>do</em> know,” he laughs and winks, then sneezes, summoning a chuckle from the other. “Ah, pardon me. Today’s an awfully chilly morning.”</p><p>“It’s rare to see you say such words. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you stole my lines.”</p><p>“Hahah, maybe so. You’ve been rubbing off on me, I wouldn’t be surprised.”</p><p>“Should I try singing too, then?” he laughed when the other groaned.</p><p>“Please don’t. I’ll have nightmares.”</p><p>“I wouldn’t dare, I assure you.”</p><p>“Good.” He notices how thoroughly tea leaves are chosen. “You’ve been doing this for a while now.” A more of a statement than question.</p><p>Nevertheless, it still draws Hubert’s attention. “I have, in fact. Ever since you’ve been doing, well, the same for me. Or at least, a short time after.”</p><p>“Oh, it was nothing. I just thought it’d make you happy, is all.”</p><p>“Then you were thinking of that quite often,” a faint smile on normally stern face. Ferdinand watches in a side glance – such less seen treasures are needed to be caught in memory.</p><p>“Maybe I have,” a quiet drop of the tone confesses.</p><p>They sit down at a table, with two elegantly looking cups. The liquid in them is similar.</p><p>“You said you prefer coffee?”</p><p>“I do. Though if you must know, your obsession with tea got me curious, so I’ve been trying out some tastes.” He gives the cup a look after taking a sip.</p><p>“Try this with it; that should be your kind of taste,” Ferdinand offers him small pieces of sweets.</p><p>“I doubt that will help much.”</p><p>“Just try it.”</p><p>He chews the sweets a bit and takes another sip. “…quite balanced…”</p><p>Ferdinand smiles at his astonishment. “These are famous for their bitter flavour; I had a feeling you’d like them.”</p><p>“They are quite on the strong scale,” he inspects the small squares between his thumb and pointing finger.</p><p>“I’m glad. Although you could try either green, or also black tea first. These are quite bitter too, and if you’d want, I could offer you more small refreshments – I have some home.”</p><p>“You’re knowledgeable in this. But I should have expected no less.”</p><p>“You flatter me too much.”</p><p>“Like a snake singing an aria?”</p><p>“Maybe. And while it’s still a bit unsettling,” he takes a sip from the cup, “it isn’t nearly and bad as it used to be.”</p><p>“I’ll make sure to compliment you more often, then.” <em>Cheeky, </em>Ferdinand thinks.</p><p>Once they finish, “Would you like to meet like this in the evening as well?” a question from Hubert.</p><p>“Sure, why not?” he cleans the table from trays. “Something’s the matter?”</p><p>“Truth is, I’ve received some rather…intriguing letters this morning. I’d like to hear your thoughts on it.”</p><p>“Wouldn’t that be troublesome?”</p><p>“Why would it be?”</p><p>“Correct me if I’m wrong, but your decision shouldn’t be influenced by anyone else.”</p><p>“That <em>is </em>true, but what if that opinion is used more of a reference than anything? The other person is far more experienced than me in the matter. Hence why I wish to hear their stance first, so I can give my own then.”</p><p>“If you say so. As long as you’re not going to be in trouble.”</p><p>A gloved hand finds place on his left shoulder. It’s a light touch, light enough to brush it aside, would he wish so.</p><p>“I wouldn’t dare to worry you like that,” the mage whispers. It almost sounds like a spell with how quietly it is said, as if saying it aloud would disturb the world and how it runs.</p><p>A memory – the mage lying on the ground, viciously summoning dark magic, trying to keep the few unscathed places of his body safe. A soldier approached without any notice. Edelgard screamed in the distance, warning him, but it came late – he already fought on the ground with the soldier, fist to fist. And then, somebody grabbed the attacker and threw him away. Stumbling, he rose up only to see the noble battling with the soldier now. He summoned fark magic and took care of the fool.</p><p>“You could have got yourself killed,” he scolded the noble, taking in the sight of wounds tainting his body.</p><p>The cavalier didn’t respond right away. Looking around, counting how many were lost, he finally landed his eyes on Hubert. “I could say the same about you.”</p><p>“I confess I was foolish back there. But you’re needed on the front lines. Or have you stopped proving your worth to Edelgard already?”</p><p>That one seemed to add salt to the injury, since the noble whipped his head to him. He expected him to say something back, and yet, the cavalier only muttered something under his breath, inaudible to mage’s ears. Then he turned around and went to an opposite direction of Edelgard, who rushed to Hubert.</p><p>It was at the point when more and more people were leaving the army. He didn’t understand why von Aegir stayed, for all he knew, that fool didn’t agree with Her Majesty. And the competition was already decided, so why he chose to remain was an enigma to him.</p><p>He didn’t know back then.</p><p>Such memory ran through Ferdinand’s head. Just as Hubert was ready to withdraw his hand from the spot, Ferdinand’s head moved. His lips stayed on the white glove while he spoke.</p><p>“I am glad,” he answered in the same volume Hubert whispered reassurance earlier. “I was worried you’d fall into…similar trap. There were few who were willing to protect your back in the war.”</p><p>“True,” similar whisper answered. “Sometimes I do wonder why you stayed.”</p><p>A soft laugh. “I’m sure you know why by now?”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is a gift for Millie. Three days from now, it's going to be a year since I've been thrown into this pairing (by watching Ferdinand's supports) and they haven't left ever since. And I did promise you this fic. It took long, VERY long...but at last, it's here.</p><p>Did I play FE3H? Did I watch let's plays of it? Do I honestly know anything about it??<br/>Not really.<br/>But I love them and so I'm posting this. Please do bear with me if something's not making sense; I literally made this from ground.</p><p>If you got this far, thank you for reading. Have a good day. And stay safe out there.</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>